**Executive Summary**
This document presents the Indian government's response to Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 29, concerning school dropout rates in desert and border districts of Rajasthan. The response, provided by the Minister of Education on February 2, 2026, includes an analysis of dropout rates, factors contributing to dropouts, and measures taken under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan. Key details regarding dropout rates for Barmer and Jaisalmer districts from 2020-2021 to 2024-2025 are provided.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Education Governance:** Education falls under the concurrent list of the Constitution, with most schools under the jurisdiction of State and UT Governments.
* **Analysis of Dropout Rates:**
* The Government of Rajasthan has analyzed school dropout rates in desert and border districts under the Praveshotsav Karyakram.
* Factors contributing to dropouts include poverty, poor health, and engagement in domestic work.
* **Dropout Rates in Barmer and Jaisalmer (2020-21 to 2024-25):** Dropout rates are provided for primary, upper primary, and secondary levels for both districts in a table format.
* **Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan:**
* The Department of School Education and Literacy is implementing Samagra Shiksha, an integrated scheme covering pre-school to class XII, aligned with NEP 2020.
* A key focus is reducing dropout rates and the number of Out of School Children (OoSC).
* An online module on the PRABANDH Portal compiles data on OoSC, validated by State/UT for monitoring mainstreaming progress.
* The scheme includes provisions for new schools, infrastructure, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Avasiya Vidyalayas, Hostels under PM-JANMAN and DAJGUA, free uniforms, textbooks, transport, and enrolment drives.
* Support is provided through special training for age-appropriate admission of OoSC, including residential and non-residential programs.
* Bridge Course Modules are developed by NCERT for bridging learning gaps in Special Training Centers (STC).
* Financial assistance is available for children with special needs, including identification, assessment, aids, and learning materials.
**Impact Analysis**
**Government of Rajasthan**
* **Impact:** Responsible for the analysis of school dropout rates in desert and border districts under the Praveshotsav Karyakram.
* **Action Required:** Continue to monitor and address the identified factors contributing to dropouts (poverty, poor health, domestic work).
**Department of School Education and Literacy (Central Government)**
* **Impact:** Oversees and implements the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan to reduce dropout rates and support OoSC.
* **Action Required:** Continue implementing and monitoring the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, including data compilation on the PRABANDH Portal and support for STCs.
**States/UTs**
* **Impact:** Responsible for validating child-wise information of identified OoSC and STC uploaded by the concerned Block Resource Centre of the State.
* **Action Required:** Continue validating and monitoring the progress of mainstreaming of OoSC via the PRABANDH Portal.
**Schools and Educators**
* **Impact:** Implement programs and initiatives under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan to reduce dropout rates and provide inclusive education.
* **Action Required:** Utilize resources and training provided under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, including the Bridge Course Modules and support for children with special needs.
Key Entities Referenced
Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan: An integrated scheme for school education implemented by the Department of School Education and Literacy.
Rajasthan: The State where the school dropout rates in desert and border districts are analyzed.
Department of School Education and Literacy: The department implementing Samagra Shiksha and addressing school dropout rates.
National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT): Developed Bridge Course Modules for out-of-school children.
RTE Act, 2009: Referenced in the context of providing special training centers for out-of-school children.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY
LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO- 29
ANSWERED ON –02/02/2026
SCHOOL DROPOUT RATES IN DESERT AND BORDER DISTRICTS
*29. Shri Ummeda Ram Beniwal:
Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has analysed school dropout rates in desert areas and border districts
of Rajasthan;
(b) if so, the data for Barmer and Jaisalmer districts in Rajasthan, district-wise during the last
five years;
(c) the major factors contributing to dropouts; and
(d) the details of steps taken by the Government under Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan to address the
issue?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF EDUCATION
(SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)
(a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
*****STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 29 ANSWERED ON 02.02.2026 ASKED BY SHRI UMMEDA
RAM BENIWAL, HON’BLE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT REGARDING "SCHOOL
DROPOUT RATES IN DESERT AND BORDER DISTRICTS"
(a) to (c): Education is in the concurrent list of the Constitution and majority of the schools are
under the domain of respective State and UT Government. Government of Rajasthan has
analysed school dropout rates in desert and border district of Rajasthan under the Praveshotsav
Karyakram. Major factors contributing to children being out of school include poverty, poor
health and engagement in domestic work.
The details of dropout rate by level of education in the district of Barmer and Jaisalmer is as per
below table:
Year Barmer Jaisalmer
Primary Upper Secondary Primary Upper Secondary
Primary Primary
2020-21 1.3 4.6 9.8 4.3 5.3 8.7
2021-22 1.9 5.3 11.7 4.5 7.5 12.5
2022-23 2.5 8.1 16.7 5.1 10.5 21.5
2023-24 4.7 7.7 12.9 10.9 15.2 20.7
2024-25 3.4 6.4 9.7 5.9 8.8 13.3
(d) The Department of School Education and Literacy is implementing Samagra Shiksha, an
integrated scheme for school education since 2018-19 covering the entire gamut from pre-school
to class XII. The scheme has also been aligned with the recommendations of NEP 2020 to ensure
that all children have access to quality education with an equitable and inclusive classroom
environment which should take care of their diverse background, multilingual needs, different
academic abilities and make them active participants in the learning process.
One of the focus areas of the scheme is to reduce the dropout rate and the number of Out of
School Children (OoSC). This Department has developed an online module for compiling the
data of Out of School Children (OoSC) identified by each State/UT and their mapping with
Special Training Centres (STC) on the PRABANDH Portal. The concerned State/UT validates
the child wise information of the identified OoSC and STC uploaded by the concerned Block
Resource Centre of the State for monitoring the progress of mainstreaming of OoSC.The scheme includes the provision of opening and strengthening of new schools up to senior
secondary level; construction of school buildings and additional classrooms; setting up, up-
gradation and running of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas; setting up of Netaji Subhash
Chandra Bose Avasiya Vidyalayas; Hostels under PM-JANMAN and DAJGUA for PVTGs / ST
children, free uniforms, free text books, transport allowance and undertaking enrolment &
retention drives. In addition, support is provided through special training for age-appropriate
admission of Out of School Children and for the training of residential as well as non-residential
older children. The provision of seasonal hostels or residential camps, special training centers
at worksites, transport/ escort facility are also available for bringing Out of School Children to
the formal schooling structure. Bridge Course Modules have been developed by National
Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) for bridging the learning gaps of
Out of School Children studying in Special Training Centers (STC) under the provision of RTE
Act, 2009.
Further, under the student-oriented component for the children with special needs of the
scheme, financial assistance is provided for identification and assessment of children with
special needs, aids and appliances, braille kits and books, appropriate teaching learning material
and stipend to girl students with disability etc.
***